News in Brief — UC Davis School of Education announces new dean
In February, interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter announced to UC Davis Dateline that Lauren E. Lindstrom will be the new dean of the School of Education. Currently, Lindstrom is the associate dean of Research and Faculty Development in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. She will begin her post at UC Davis on June 1, succeeding interim Dean Paul Hastings.
The UC Davis School of Education was founded in 2002. According to its website, the school is ranked number 51 out of more than 250 schools, as of 2017. The majority of students are pursuing teaching credentials or Masters of Arts in education. 222 undergraduate students are also currently enrolled in the education minor program.
Lindstrom served at the University of Oregon for 25 years and received three degrees: a Bachelor of Science in human services, a Master of Science in special education and a Ph.D. in educational leadership.
“As a researcher, she is recognized internationally and nationally for her work in special education, in particular in assisting youth with disabilities in making the transition from high school to employment and post-secondary education opportunities,” Hexter said to Dateline.
Hastings explained that the School of Education was looking for a leader in educational research who would be a strong proponent of the research in education being conducted by the school’s faculty. The school required a leader who understands the breadth and diversity of the field of teaching across all ages and communities. It was important to find someone who would work to make high-quality education accessible for all.
“Dr. Lindstrom, with her outstanding experiences in teaching, research and administration, fits all of the goals for the School in our hopes for a new dean who could help us advance our work,” Hastings said via email. “We’re very excited that we’ll have such a recognized leader in education taking us into our next chapter as a school.”
In addition to serving as the associate dean at the College of Education, Lindstrom is also currently conducting research. She has several active research grants and is planning to continue and extend her research program when she joins UC Davis.
According to a statement from Dateline, as an associate dean, Lindstrom provided leadership and strategic direction for all externally funded research operations in the college and coordinated faculty orientation, tenure and promotion. She was also the director of the Center at Oregon for Research in Education, overseeing and coordinating externally-funded research and outreach centers focused on improving educational outcomes for children and families. She communicated vital information about research and outreach activities to various audiences.
“Dr. Lindstrom’s record of being an engaged and active education researcher, as well as her leadership roles in the University of Oregon’s large and multi-faceted College of Education, have given her a depth of understanding and appreciation for the breadth of research that is being conducted at the UC Davis School of Education,” Hastings said.
Written by: Jayashri Padmanabhan — campus@theaggie.org